Question

Explain how popular culture is a form of soft power

Answer 1

The power means that if one has power then he can get another to do something, that means it has ability to change another's action.

According to Joseph Nye book, there are three dimensions of power i.e. Military power, Economic power and Soft power.

Soft power :- The ability to attract and co-opt( the process in which adding members in an elite group to maintain the stability) and used as a persuasion (influence a person's beliefs, behaviours, or motivation) by giving money or using force. Through attraction and appeal it can be shape the preferences of others. The currency of soft power is foreign policies, culture, political values. Also influencing and changing the social and public opinion through political, non-political and transparent channel, used as a means of soft power.

Joseph Nye explained that soft power is a command power where a country gets other countries to want what they want it means ordering others to do what they wants.

The USC center and Portland communications for 2017 published an annual index in which France topped the index in soft power. Also United kingdom topped three times for 2011, 2012, &2015. Other countries are also in the list United states, Germany, Canada, Japan, etc.

To influence public, culture plays a important source of soft power. America used culture as a soft power to its success.

Freedom, capitalism, liberation and individualism is a part of American popular culture which is spread through the media to another countries to win people over with its culture. The potential source for action and political thought, popular culture is a powerful tool for this.

The great promoters of Americanism is television i.e. The Oprah Winfrey show and Hollywood.

Communication channel between America and world is opened by the show, and also show's success is because of Oprah's personal influence. It means when she spread American values on show, she contributed to soft power. Also other moderate of communication are newspapes, radio, etc.